Flames of Love Full title inside
by Sailor Solaris2
Summary: Uploading several chapters at once. Will be worked on later. Rating may change. On Haitus due to school and having to time to work on it.
1. Prologue and summary

Just a fic

Zuko finds twin girls frozen in an iceberg six months after being banished by his father, but both girls are badly injured. One of them dies and Zuko finds out neither of them is the Avatar, but feels bad for the sister who lived because she has nowhere to go. She had been friends with the Avatar, and had been on her way to visit him when she and her sister were caught in a horrible storm. To keep themselves and their bison from drowning, they encased themselves in ice to protect them. This was only possible because the girls had a very odd family heritage. Zuko doesn't know it, but his life is about to change. For better or for worse? Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

Prologue

Zuko looked at the girl frozen in the iceberg as his men slowly melted it.

'She could be the Avatar.' thought Zuko. 'Could I really have found the Avatar after only being banished for 6 months?'

Suddenly, a rush of air from inside the iceberg caused them to back away as the iceberg shattered. Two identical girls climbed out of the iceberg, causing them to take defensive positions as the girls stumbled forwards, but they relaxed a bit when the girls both passed out and fell to the ground. Iro was the first to notice something was wrong.

"Nephew, both girls are badly injured." Iro told Zuko. "If one of them is the Avatar, then isn't it better to keep her alive so you don't have to start the search from scratch?"

"You're right, Uncle." said Zuko. He turned to his crew. "Take them to one of the spare bedrooms and make sure their wounds are tended to. If either one of them dies, it'll be on your heads."

The men nodded and gently carried the girls into the ship, laying the girls on the same bed in the spare bedroom. Zuko and Iro walked in to check on the girls as one of them woke up.

"Ah..." she moaned softly. "Sister? Sister!"

The girl sat up quickly, but winced in pain because of her wounds.

"Your sister is safe." said Iro softly, moving to her side. "She's laying right next to you, but both of you are badly hurt. You should rest, and heal."

The girl shook her head.

"I'm too badly hurt to survive this." she said quietly, coughing up blood. "I want to at least ensure that Hikaru survives."

"Hikaru is your sister?" asked Iro gently. The girl nodded. "And what is your name, miss?"

"Hikari." said Hikari. "We're twins, and mother wanted us both to know how much she loved us, so she named us both 'light'."

Hikari gathered some water around her hand using water bending, then turned to Hikaru and began to heal her.

"Hikaru, you have to live." she said softly, her vision blurring. "Live and be happy, in my place."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hikaru woke up two weeks later, unable to figure out just what happened.

"Hikari?" she whispered, sitting up slowly. "Hikari, where are you?"

Iro came in at that moment, a bowl of water in his hands.

"I see you are awake, Miss Hikaru." he said softly.

"Where is my sister?" Hikaru asked, panicking. Iro set the bowl down and sighed as he sat next to the bed.

"I'm afraid that your sister was too severely wounded." he said softly. "She had an arrow through her lung and used the last of her energy to heal you. Her final wish was for you to live, since she could not. She knew she wouldn't survive."

Hikaru choked back a sob as Iro moved to sit on the bed and hugged her.

"It's ok to cry, Miss Hikaru." He said softly. "Sometimes we all need to let our self control slip for a while."

"I wish I COULD cry." Hikaru sobbed. "Why...why did my sister die and not me? Father always told me that Hikari was born lucky, and that I was just lucky to be born, so why am I still alive?"

Hikaru's sorrow had quickly turned to anger. Anger at herself, at the world, and at her own father.

"Don't say that, Miss Hikaru." Said Iro firmly, but softly. "Your sister wanted you to live. I heard her ask it of you with her last breath."

Zuko, who was standing just outside the door, couldn't help but be shocked at Hikaru's words. His own father had said the same thing about him! He was dragged back to reality when Hikaru's rant continued.

"Because my family has an unusual lineage, my sister and I could master all the elements even though neither of us was the Avatar. But my sister was born blind, and she excelled at bending Earth, Fire, Water, and Air! I'm a master Air bender, according to my teacher, but when my father tried to teach me Fire bending after I mastered Water bending and Earth bending, he declared me useless and..." She broke off in tears. Iro stroked her hair for a bit until she settled down. "Now I have to wear makeup to cover the scar on my face..."

"There, there." said Iro softly. "It's ok. No one here will judge you. My nephew, Prince Zuko, has a scar as well, also given to him by his father, Fire Lord Ozai."

"Fire Lord Ozai?" Asked Hikaru. "But isn't Fire Lord Souzen still in power?"

"Fire Lord Souzen died eighty years ago." Said Zuko, coming into the room. "The fact that you lived during his reign makes me wonder just how long you and your sister were frozen in that iceberg. Since you know Air bending, you would have had to have been frozen for at least one hundred years."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hikaru's eyes widened.

"A hundred years?" She gasped, then she chuckled nervously. "Wow, not looking forward to cleaning my room."

"Miss Hikaru, one hundred years ago Fire Lord Souzen used Souzen's comet, which returns in three years, to annihilate the Air benders." Iro said gently. "You may very well be the last Air bender alive."

Hikaru chuckled.

"No, I'm not." Hikaru said softly. "I can't tell you why I know that I'm not, but the Air benders yet live. We won't die out so easily."

"Still, no one has seen an Air bender in 100 years." Said Iro. "The Air Temples were annihilated."

Hikaru didn't reply, but she didn't look at Iro or Zuko either. Zuko sighed and sat on the bed.

"If you have nowhere to go, why not stay here on my ship?" He asked her. "Since you know Fire bending, we can spar or something."

Hikaru looked away, her eyes shimmering slightly. Iro noticed, though, how her eyes never seemed to focus on anything in particular. Zuko, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice at all.

"I've never felt comfortable on ships." She said softly, her eyes closing.

Zuko's POV

I noticed how the girl never seemed to open her right eye completely. It was like she couldn't open it all the way, just like I could only open my left eye halfway. And I'd never seen eyes that were as pale blue as hers either.

"Nephew," Said Uncle Iro. "I do not think having her stay on the ship is a good idea."

"Why is that, Uncle?" I asked.

"Think about it, nephew." Uncle said. "One young girl on a ship full of men could cause problems."

I glared at my uncle, but knew he was right.

"You're right, Uncle, but where else can she go?" I asked. "The world has changed in 100 years, so I doubt she'd recognize anything."

"I...I'd like to stay." Said the girl softly. "If it's not too much trouble, that is. I can work to earn my keep."

"Very well." I said, then turned and left the room. I made my way back to my room, briefly wondering why she never looked at my uncle or I, but decided it was likely because she was nervous.

Later that night, Hikaru's POV

I slowly made my way to Zuko's room, looking for him with my senses. I knew metal was simply purified earth, but it was still hard to use my earth sight at times. It took a while, but I finally found his room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." he said gruffly. I opened the door and entered slowly, watching out for anything that may trip me. "What do you want?"

I looked down. "I...I know I offered to work to earn my keep, but...I..." I swallowed. "I was wondering if you had need of a slave."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Zuko's POV

'Did she really just ask that?' I wondered, moving to sit on the bed. "Sit next to me." I told her. She moved slowly across the room and slowly sat next to me. "Are you sure about this?" I asked her. "If you go through with this, there will be no going back."

She nodded, looking away from me.

"I'm sure." She said softly. "As you said before, I have no where else to go. I don't think I'd be welcomed anywhere either."

"Explain." I said, a bit more harshly than I intended.

"My sister and I are...unusual. In a sense, we have the ability to master all four elements, just like the Avatar, but that is only due to our odd family heritage." She replied, still not looking at me for some reason. "My mother was both a Water bender and an Air bender, while my father was both a Fire bender and an Earth bender."

Hikaru's POV

I paused, unsure of what else to say. I didn't want to out and say that I was blind, since he didn't seem to have noticed yet, but keeping it a secret didn't seem like a good idea either.

"What elements have you mastered so far?" He asked.

"Earth, Water, and Air. I have no ability with Fire bending though." I said softly, tilting my head a bit. Silently, I cursed my father. I was partially deaf in one ear because of the scar he gave me, and totally blind because he wouldn't let it be treated for three days.

"I'm still training as a Fire bender myself, so we'll train together." Said Zuko, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Ok." I said softly, feeling it would be better to just agree. He was clearly a prince, and was used to getting what he wanted. Besides, maybe he could help me.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Normal POV

Zuko shifted, slightly nervous. He'd never had someone _ask_ to be a slave before, and was unsure what to do. Hikaru heard him shift and tilted her head in curiosity.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"I don't think anyone's ever _asked_ to be a slave before." He said. "I'll ask again. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Hikaru nodded. "I've thought it through, and I'm sure." She said softly, standing up. "I don't know why I know this, but I know this is the path I'm supposed to take." She knelt before him, showing her submission to him.

Zuko nodded and stood, putting his hand on her head.

The next morning, Hikaru jerked into a sitting position. She was sweating lightly and panting heavily.

"Is something wrong, Miss Hikaru?" Asked Iro, walking into her room.

"Just a nightmare..." She said softly.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He asked. Hikaru shook her head. "If you change your mind, I'll be willing to listen. Oh, and my nephew is waiting for you in his room. He says he wants to talk to you."

Hikaru smiled and nodded. "I'll be there as soon as I clean up." She said, going over to a bowl of water on a nearby dresser. The water was specifically for washing one's face in the morning. Iro nodded and left as Hikaru washed her face.

Hikaru's POV

I have to admit, I was nervous. It was my first day as a slave and I didn't know what to expect. And I was also nervous about training. Would my 'sight' be enough to help me, or not?

Once I'd washed my face, I made my way back to my new Master's room. It was easier to get there once I knew the way, so it didn't take as long this time. When I reached his room, I knocked on the door and waited for a reply.

"Come in." said my new Master.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Three years later, at the South Pole

Normal POV

Zuko stood on the bow of his ship with Hikaru standing by his side as a beam of blue light shoots into the sky.

"Finally. Uncle, Hikaru, do you realize what this means?" Zuko asked.

"I won't get to finish my game?" asked Iro, causing Hikaru to chuckle.

"It means my search, it's about to come to an end." Zuko replied, causing Iro to groan. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights." Iro pointed out. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?"

Zuko exploded. "I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar. Helmsman, head a course for the light!"

"Master, some calming tea is a good idea. If you let anger control you in a fight," Hikaru pointed out. "Then you put yourself at the mercy of an opponent whose mind is calm."

"Miss Hikaru is correct, Prince Zuko." Said Iro. "The calm mind can see all options while the angry mind is blinded by its own feelings."

"I'm going to train for a bit." Said Hikaru. "My Air bending is getting rusty.

Zuko's POV

I watched Hikaru walk to the front of the deck as I sat next to Uncle. Sometimes I wonder how old Hikaru is. She looks like she's about 16 or so, but she's as wise as any elder. I sipped some Jasmine tea as I watched her practice, a small smile on my lips.

I couldn't help but admire her as she practiced. She was 5'2" with waist-length redish-brown hair that she typically kept in a long braid, and she had pale blue eyes. She tended to wear loose clothes without sleeves a lot, so it was easy for me to see that she was no stranger to exercise.

She moved from practicing Air bending to drilling Fire bending sequences. Her braid swung as she practiced, but somehow avoided the flames. To my surprise, Hikaru stuck to practicing the basics.

Hikaru seemed to flow in her motions, moving from one stance to the next with ease as she switched to Water bending practice.

"She moves as fluidly as water." I said to my uncle. "Yet as freely as the wind."

"Her movements are also as firm as the earth, yet as fierce as fire." Uncle agreed. "She is completely centered, and understands how to use her bending to its full advantage."

I nodded and smiled slightly again, still watching Hikaru as she trained.

"Why does she focus so much on the basics?" I asked.

"No matter how skilled the bender," Uncle began.

"If one forgets the basics, then they can never win." Said Uncle and Hikaru in unison. I hadn't noticed that she'd stopped practicing.

"Besides, it is important to use the basics to build ones strength, skill, and speed." Said Hikaru as she approached us. "Meditation also helps to clear and calm the mind, as you already know."

I nodded.

"Any other reason?" I asked.

"It's a good workout." Hikaru admitted softly. "But it does require a lot of patience."

"Hikaru, there is something I want to ask you." I said, standing up. "How would you feel about becoming part of my crew?"

"I…I would be honored, Master!" Hikaru said breathlessly.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Later that day, Hikaru's POV

I was in my new uniform as I trained with Master Zuko as he drilled a basic Fire bending move.

"No!" I heard General Iro say firmly. "Power in Fire bending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire. Get it right this time."

"Enough." said Master. "I've been drilling this sequence all day." I frowned. "Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready."

"No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics, unlike Miss Hikaru who reviews them almost daily." Said General Iro. "Drill it again!"

Zuko's POV

I sighed and gave in. Uncle was right.

'Hikaru does practice the basics a lot.' I thought as I drilled the sequence again, controlling my breath as I did so.

"Good, good." Said Uncle, clapping. "Just remember to control your breathing and your temper."

I heard Hikaru muffle a chuckle, and then she sighed.

"It will be a full moon tonight." Said Hikaru as the sun sank below the horizon. "Another long night."

"I'll see you both in the morning." Said Uncle. He stood and stretched, then went inside.

Hikaru walked to the very front of the ship's deck, gazing out into the vast, barren landscape.

"I can't help but feel hopeful." she said, turning to face me. "Yet I feel...torn. I knew the Avatar one hundred years ago. I wonder what he's like now."

'She knew the Avatar?' I thought in shock as I walked up to her.

"What was he like?" I asked, eager to know my opponent. "What type of person was he?"

Hikaru sighed wistfully.

"Aang, the Avatar, was very kind and outgoing, but was told that he was the Avatar at age 12." said Hikaru, smiling sadly. "The last time I saw him was shortly before my sister and I went to the South Pole with our bison and an escort. That was roughly 3 years before we were frozen in the iceberg."

"What was your relationship with him?" I asked. "How did you meet him?"

"Aang was like a little brother to me." Hikaru sighed. "We met when I accidentally bumped into him on my way to Water bending training one day."

She sighed again, looking up at the sky. Her eyes were glazed over, as if she was daydreaming.

"Do you want to sit out if we fight him?" I asked softly. To my surprise, Hikaru shook her head.

"I will stand by your side no matter what, Master." she said firmly. "Plus, I want to see how much he's improved.


	8. Chapter 7

Sorry for all who believe I updated. The newest Legend of Korra from the Avatar show has thrown my theories for this show out the window. I'm debating whether or not to continue as it is or completely re-work the entire story. I've been suffering writers block, on top of life getting in the way. I'm leaving it up to those who enjoy this story. Should I re-work it? I haven't even revealed my theory yet on how the Avatar came to be, but it's nothing like the show. Please let me know in a review!


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